A typical chewing gum base includes one or more elastomers, one or more fillers, one or more elastomer solvents, plasticizers and optional plastic polymers, waxes, emulsifiers and miscellaneous colors, flavors and antioxidants. Due primarily to the difficulty in melting and dispersing the elastomers homogeneously among the other gum base ingredients, gum base manufacture has typically been a tedious and time-consuming batch process. For example, one such conventional process uses a sigma blade batch mixer having a front to rear blade speed ratio of about 2:1, and a mixing temperature of about 80.degree.-120.degree. C.
In this conventional process, initial portions of elastomer, elastomer solvent and filler are added to the heated sigma blade mixer and blended until the elastomer is melted or smeared and thoroughly mixed with the plasticizer and fillers. Then the remaining portions of elastomer, elastomer solvent, plasticizer, fillers, emulsifiers and other ingredients are added sequentially, in a stepwise fashion, often with sufficient time for each stepwise addition to become completely mixed before adding more ingredients. Depending on the composition of the particular chewing gum bases and, in particular, the amount and type of elastomer, considerable patience may be required to insure that each ingredient becomes thoroughly mixed. Overall, anywhere from one to four hours of mixing time can be required to make one batch of chewing gum base using a conventional sigma blade mixer.
After mixing, the molten gum base batch must be emptied from the mixer into coated or lined pans, or pumped to other equipments such as a holding tank or a filtering device, then extruded or cast into shapes, and allowed to cool and solidify, before being ready for use in chewing gum. This additional processing and cooling requires even more time.
Various efforts have been undertaken to try to simplify and reduce the time required for gum base manufacture. European Patent Publication No. 0 273 809, in the name of General Foods France, discloses a process for making nonadhesive chewing gum base by blending elastomer and filler components together in an industrial mill type mixer to form a nonadhesive premix, dividing the premix into fragments, and blending the premix fragments and at least one other nonadhesive gum base component together in a powder mixer. Alternatively, the premix fragments and other base components can be added to an extruder along with other chewing gum components to accomplish direct manufacture of chewing gum.
French Patent Publication No. 2 635 441, also in the name of General Foods France, discloses a process for making a gum base concentrate using a twin screw extruder. The concentrate is prepared by mixing high molecular weight elastomers and plasticizers in desired proportions and feeding them into the extruder. Mineral fillers are added to the extruder downstream of the feed inlet of the elastomer/plasticizer blend. The resulting gum base concentrate has a high level of elastomers. The concentrate can then be mixed with the other gum base ingredients to provide a complete gum base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,511, issued to D'Amelia et al., discloses that chewing gum can be made directly in a one-step compounding process (without making an intermediate gum base) if certain vinyl polymers are used as the elastomer portion.
U.S. No. Pat. No. 4,187,320, issued to Koch et al., discloses a two-stage process for making a chewing gum base in a mixing kettle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,962, issued to del Angel, discloses a process for making an elastomer/resin masterbatch as a precursor to a gum base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,311, issued to DeTora et al., discloses making gum base using two separate mixers--a high intensity mixer for pre-plasticizing the elastomer in the presence of a filler, followed by a medium intensity mixer for ultimately blending all the gum base components together.
Several publications disclose that a continuous extruder can be used to make the ultimate chewing gum product after a separate process has previously been used to make the chewing gum base. These publications include U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,760, issued to Degady et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,325, issued to Lesko et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,407, issued to Kramer et al.
Notwithstanding the prior efforts described above, there is a need and desire in the chewing gum industry for a continuous process which can effectively and efficiently be used to make a variety of complete chewing gum bases without limiting the type or quantity of elastomer employed, and without requiring preblending or other pretreatment of the elastomer. It would be particularly beneficial to be able to produce high quality chewing gum bases that incorporate waxes, fats and/or oils as plasticizers in the gum using a continuous process.